Clarke sighed. I'm so damn tired... But I really should dress that. The last thing I need is an infection. She wrapped her wound and looked up, startled, as the door was opened. A man entered, excessively huge muscles highlighted by the light of the torch he carried. What's up with that anyway? All the grounder men are stupid big, like body builder big. I wonder if they compete? She mused, imagining grounder warriors clad in sequened thongs comparing well oiled muscles for the commander's entertainment. She smirked, amused by the image, but quickly masked it as he approached.
The warrior stopped beside her. "The Commander says that you are to be fed. She will look for the children you spoke of personally. Their fate will determine yours." A plate was thrusted at her, hovering just above her nose. "Eat."
"Thank you." She said automatically, taking the plate. The guard grunted, dropping a flask by her side. He then stepped back a pace to watch her. "...you're watching me eat?"
"Anything, even a plate, can be a weapon. Eat. I'll take the plate when you're done."
"Oh..." Clarke said softly. She looked down at the plate, her stomach churning at the strips of roasted meat sitting there. Wonderful. She took the meat and held up the empty plate. "Fair enough?"
He took the plate and left, not saying a word.
She looked down at the meat. No way am I eating that. But what can I do with it? They'd be offended if I threw it away... A whimper followed by some dirt falling in a beam of light provided her answer. Slowly, she pulled herself to her feet and painfully limped over to the barred drop hole overhead. A stray dog, barely more than a pup, stared hungrily down at her. Well that's convenient. She smiled softly. "Hey... You hungry? Here."
She tossed one of the meaty strips up to the dog. He caught it and gulped it down greedily. He ate every piece and stared down at her. "Sorry boy, that's it."
She limped back to her spot against the wall and resumed her former position. It was a good spot, the ground was smooth and heat radiated from the rock wall. Clarke wondered idly if there was a stove on the other side for the guards. She picked up the flask and took a cautious sip, then a longer drink as the cool water eased her thirst. Her stomach threatened rebellion and she winced, closing the flask and setting it aside for later.
It was a long wait. Hours passed in silence, Clarke passing in and out of consciousness as she lay still, trying to conserve her strength. A second meal of roasted meat was brought to her, this time with a small loaf of hard bread and cheese. I really need to eat something. She knew this, common sense and medical training both agreeing that the single ration pack she had had for breakfast yesterday had been digested long ago. She recognized the hollow feeling and weakness and knew, intellectually, that food would help.
She eyed the meat. No, not that. Definitely not that. And focused on the bread and cheese instead. The cheese was dry and crumbled into her lap as she ate it between sips from her flask. The bread was hard and dry. She softened it with some water and ate every last crumb. The food revived her, filling her with new energy and chasing the hollow feeling away. She looked at the meat again. Her stomach constricted at the sight and she shoved it aside, swallowing bile. The dog returned, much to her relief, and was well fed.
Clarke tried to pass some of the time drawing, but as had happened in the Mountain, she found herself staring at nothing. Before, up in space, she drew what she dreamed. A rich green earth ready for new life. Now when she closed her eyes all she had were nightmares, and the nightmares didn't go away when she woke either. She didn't have dreams anymore.
She tried focusing on drawing people, faces of her friends and family. Charolette stared back her. Guilt gnawed at her and she wiped the image away, starting again, then again, as more faces of the dead stared back at her. Wells, Atom, Roma, Tris, Anya... Finn was next. He was alive, but she didn't want to see his face either, didn't want to remember the slaughter that had happened in his search for her. Angrily she wiped that image away too and tried again.
The Commander stared back at her. Even as a drawing in the dirt she was beautiful. And mysterious. Why did she save me?